This invention relates to an improved fence for a table mounted tool, such as for example a tablesaw, shaper, oscillating spindle sander, band saw, router table, etc. More specifically, the subject invention relates to an improved attachment for securing the fence to a table mounted tool and an improved way of replacing the fence faces or attaching accessory tools. For simplicity and clarity, the present invention will be described with respect to a tablesaw, but it should be understood that it will work well with any table mounted tool.
Fences have become standard equipment for use with most tablesaws to accurately guide a workpiece past a saw blade. Fence faces disposed on the fence must remain oriented parallel to the saw blade even after repeated uses to ensure accuracy and repeatability in the workpiece being cut. Presently available fences include widely varying types of lockdowns to secure the fence to the tablesaw. None of these lockdowns provide the ability to accurately tune the position of the fence relative to the saw blade.
Further, presently available fences do not provide the ability to quickly and easily remove the fence faces without the use of tools. These fence faces also include attachment access points that are exposed to the work area.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a fence having a lockdown that is convenient to use and yet provides the ability to obtain an accurate placement of the fence relative to the saw blade. It would be further desirable to provide a fence face that can be easily and quickly removed from the fence.
The present invention is a fence assembly for use with a table mounted tool such as a tablesaw. The fence includes a fence beam having opposed fence faces removably attached on opposite sides of the fence beam. A fence head forms an L-shaped section and is mounted to the end of the fence beam. An adjustment mechanism is attached to the fence head and receives the fence support, such as a support tube of the tablesaw.
The fence beam includes a plurality of fasteners mounted along each side. Each fence face includes a plurality of mating fasteners for securing the fence faces to the fence beam. In the preferred embodiment, studs are mounted along each side of the fence beam and a plurality of keyhole shaped slots are mounted on each fence face. The studs and the keyhole shaped slots provide the means to quickly remove and re-attach the fence faces to the fence beam. It should be appreciated that other fasteners could be used, such as for example magnets.
The adjustment mechanism of the present invention allows for both quick general mounting of the fence to the tablesaw and precise adjustment of the fence with respect to the saw blade. The adjustment mechanism includes a quick lockdown device for locking the fence in a generally desired location. To fine tune the adjustment of the fence with respect to the saw blade, an adjustment knob is provided. The adjustment knob can be rotated to move the fence a precise distance for each rotation of the knob. Once the fence is at the desired location, a main fence lockdown lever is depressed to lock the fence in its final position. The main fence lockdown lever includes a cam which engages a locking finger which when engaged by the cam engages the support tube of the tablesaw.
In the disclosed embodiment, the adjustment mechanism has a first mounting assembly which mounts the adjustment knob and a fine threaded shaft to the fence beam. The main fence lockdown device is mounted for movement with respect to the fine tuning mechanism. In this way, the main fence lockdown can be fixed to the support beam and the fence can be adjusted with respect to the support beam.
The fence faces can quickly and easily be replaced by way of the studs and the keyhole shaped slots. The adjustment mechanism and the cam provide the inventive fence with a lockdown that is mechanically simple and yet allows for accurate adjustments to the position of the fence relative to the tablesaw. The simple design of the lockdown enables the fence to provide an accurate and repeatable alignment surface relative to the saw blade that is not presently available.